Rolling method for a profiled section, in particular, a flange section, and universal roll stand therefor

ABSTRACT

In a rolling method for a profiled section performed in a universal roll stand with horizontal rolls and vertical rolls having a vertical roll center, hydraulic cylinder units configured to adjust the horizontal rolls are provided. The horizontal rolls are adjusted with the hydraulic cylinder units, based on a preset nominal horizontal roll gap, toward one another to form an actual horizontal roll gap, wherein the horizontal rolls are adjusted with the preset nominal horizontal roll gap symmetrically relative to the vertical roll centers. An additional nominal value is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder units and, based on the additional nominal value, the horizontal rolls are vertically adjusted in the same direction by the same amount. The vertical rolls are adjusted toward the horizontal rolls to form actual vertical roll gaps. A universal roll stand for performing the device is also described.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a rolling method for a profiled section, in particular, a flange section, in a universal roll stand with horizontal rolls and vertical rolls having a vertical roll center, wherein the horizontal rolls are adjusted toward one another to form an actual horizontal roll gap in accordance with a preset nominal horizontal roll gap, wherein the vertical rolls are adjusted toward the horizontal rolls to form an actual vertical roll gap. The invention further relates to a universal roll stand for this method.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Such a rolling method and a universal roll stand for such a method are disclosed, for example, in German patent document DE 38 34 587 A1. In this document there is no mention of the horizontal rolls being adjusted symmetrically relative to the vertical roll center as a result of the nominal horizontal roll gap. However, this is, in general, conventional.

[0005] In the aforementioned prior art a roll stand arrangement is described which comprises two universal roll stands between which a flange upsetting device is positioned. In the prior art, the vertical position of the flange upsetting device is adjustable in order to correct the stay center of the rolled profiled section.

[0006] The method and the roll stand of the prior art operate already sufficiently well, but not completely satisfactorily.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a rolling method for a profiled section and a universal roll stand for performing this method by which the profiled section can be rolled in an improved way, in particular, with reduced tolerances.

[0008] In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that the horizontal rolls are adjusted by means of hydraulic cylinder units to form the actual horizontal roll gap and in that an additional nominal value is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder units based on which the horizontal rolls are adjusted vertically in the same direction by the same amount.

[0009] In accordance therewith, the object is solved for the universal roll stand in that the control elements for the horizontal rolls are hydraulic cylinder units and in that an additional nominal value is supplied to the control elements for the horizontal rolls based on which the horizontal rolls can be adjusted vertically in the same direction about the same amount.

[0010] It is possible to supply the additional nominal value before rolling of the profiled section and not to change it during rolling. However, hydraulic cylinder units can also be adjusted when under load. Accordingly, it is therefore also possible to change the additional nominal value during rolling of the profiled section.

[0011] The rolling method provides especially good results when the rolled profiled section is compared with a nominal profiled section and the additional nominal value is determined based on the comparison of the rolled profiled section with the nominal profiled section.

[0012] When the comparison of the rolled profiled section with the nominal profiled section and the determination of the additional nominal value is carried out in a profiled section control unit, an automatic optimization of the additional nominal value is performed. With such an automated control method, a change of the additional nominal value is particularly expedient also during rolling of the profiled section.

[0013] When the vertical rolls are adjusted by hydraulic cylinder units to form the actual vertical roll gap, a completely hydraulically operated universal roll stand results.

[0014] When a component for the profiled section arranged upstream of the horizontal and vertical rolls and/or a component for the profiled section arranged downstream of the horizontal and vertical rolls are/is vertically adjusted as a result of the additional nominal value, bending stresses can be influenced in a directed way in the profiled section to be rolled or in the already rolled profiled section. In particular, the bending stresses can be minimized. The vertical adjustment of the component arranged upstream and/or the component arranged downstream can be carried out, depending on the component, in the same or opposite direction and can be of the same magnitude or smaller than the additional nominal value.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0015] In the drawing:

[0016]FIG. 1 shows a front view of a universal roll stand according to the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 2 illustrates an advancing and adjusting method for horizontal rolls according to the present invention; and

[0018]FIG. 3 shows a side view of the universal roll stand of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] According to FIG. 1, a profiled section 1 is to be rolled in a universal roll stand. The profiled section 1 according to FIG. 1 is a symmetric double T profiled section (I beam). The profiled section could also be a profiled section in the form of a rail, an X beam, a T beam or any other profiled section.

[0020] The universal roll stand has horizontal rolls 2, 3 and vertical rolls 4, 5. The vertical rolls 4, 5 have vertical roll centers 6, 7. The vertical rolls 4, 5 are mounted such in the universal roll stand that their vertical roll centers 6, 7 are arranged at the same level.

[0021] Control elements 8-11 are correlated with the rolls 4-7. The control elements 8-11 are hydraulic cylinder units.

[0022] It is possible to coarsely pre-adjust the rolls 4-7 by further control elements (not shown), in particular, electromechanical control elements. The decisive feature however is that the adjustment of the roll gaps in the load-free state as well as under load is carried out by hydraulic cylinder units 8-11. By means of presetting corresponding nominal horizontal or vertical roll gaps h*, v1*, v2*, the horizontal rolls 2, 3 are thus adjusted in accordance with nominal horizontal roll gap h* relative to one another to form an actual horizontal roll gap h. The vertical rolls 4, are adjusted relative to the horizontal rolls 2, 3 to actual vertical roll gaps v1, v2. The advancing and adjusting of the rolls 2-5 is carried out always by means of the hydraulic cylinder units 8-11.

[0023] According to FIG. 2, at the starting point t0 the nominal horizontal roll gap h* is supplied to the horizontal rolls 2, 3 or their hydraulic cylinder units 8, 9. At the same time, an additional nominal value o* is supplied to the horizontal rolls 2, 3 or their control elements 8, 9.

[0024] As a result of providing the two nominal values h*, o*, the horizontal rolls 2, 3 are adjusted relative to the vertical roll centers 6, 7 to the actual adjusting positions x1, x2. The actual adjusting positions x1 of the upper horizontal roll 2 then is x1=h*/2 +o*. The actual adjusting position x2 of the lower horizontal roll 3 is x2=−h*/2+o*. The zero line is defined in this connection by the coinciding vertical roll centers 6, 7.

[0025] Accordingly, the horizontal rolls 2, 3 are symmetrically adjusted relative to the vertical roll centers 6, 7 as a result of the nominal horizontal roll gap h*. As a result of the additional nominal value o*, on the other hand, the horizontal rolls 2, 3 are vertically adjusted in the same direction by the same amount. Thus, a vertical movement of the horizontal rolls 2, 3 relative to the vertical roll centers 6, 7 results, while the actual horizontal roll gap h formed between the horizontal rolls 2, 3 is maintained.

[0026] The nominal values h*, v1*, v2*, o* are usually supplied before rolling of the profiled section 1. The profiled section 1 is introduced only at the entry time t1 into the universal roll stand which is after the starting time t0. At a later time t2 the profiled section 1 exits the universal roll stand.

[0027] In general, the nominal roll gaps h*, v1*, v2* as well as the additional nominal value o* are kept constant during rolling of the profiled section 1. However, it is also possible to change the values h*, v1*, v2*, o* during rolling of the profiled section 1. For example, at a time t3, which is between the entry time t1 and the exit time t2, a new additional nominal value o* can be provided. Also, a change of the nominal roll gaps h*, v1*, v2* is possible.

[0028] According to FIG. 3, a profiled section measuring device 12 is arranged downstream of the horizontal and vertical rolls 2-5. By means of the profiled section measuring device 12 the rolled profiled section 1 can be measured. The profiled section measuring device 12 is connected with a profiled section control unit 13 in a control-technological way. A nominal profiled section P* can be supplied to the profiled section control unit 13. The profiled section control unit 13 compares the rolled profiled section 1 with the nominal profiled section P* and determines the additional nominal value o* based on the comparison.

[0029] The profiled section control unit 13 is control-technologically connected with the control elements 8, 9 for the horizontal rolls 2, 3. Accordingly, it can directly transmit the additional nominal value o* to the control elements 8, 9. The transmission can be carried out, as desired, continuously or discrete, i.e., between two profiled sections 1 to be rolled.

[0030] As can be seen also in FIG. 3, a roller table 14 for the profiled section 1 is arranged upstream of the horizontal and vertical rolls 2-5. Moreover, a flange upsetting device 15 is arranged downstream of the horizontal and vertical rolls 2-5. The roller table 14 and the flange upsetting device 15 are components 14, 15 arranged upstream and downstream of the universal roll stand, respectively. The components 14, 15 can be vertically adjusted by control elements 16, 17. The control elements 16, 17 can also be in the form of hydraulic cylinder units. The additional nominal value o* is also supplied to the components 14, 15 or their control elements 16, 17. Accordingly, the components 14, 15 can also be vertically adjusted based on the additional nominal value o*. The vertical adjustment of the components 14, 15 can thus be in the same or opposite direction and can be as large or smaller than the additional nominal value o*. For example, the roller table 14 can be adjusted in the same direction by the same amount as the horizontal rolls 2, 3 based on the additional nominal value o*, while the flange upsetting device 15 can be moved in the opposite direction by a fraction of the additional nominal value o*.

[0031] With the rolling method according to the invention and the corresponding universal roll stand, a vertical adjustment of the horizontal rolls 2, 3 in the same direction is made possible, in particular, during rolling of the profiled section 1. Furthermore, significantly smaller tolerances can be met with the method and device of the present invention than with the prior art.

[0032] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A rolling method for a profiled section in a universal roll stand with horizontal rolls and vertical rolls having a vertical roll center, the method comprising the steps of: providing hydraulic cylinder units configured to adjust the horizontal rolls; adjusting the horizontal rolls with the hydraulic cylinder units, based on a preset nominal horizontal roll gap, toward one another to form an actual horizontal roll gap, wherein the horizontal rolls are adjusted with the preset nominal horizontal roll gap symmetrically relative to the vertical roll centers; supplying an additional nominal value to the hydraulic cylinder units and, based on the additional nominal value, vertically adjusting the horizontal rolls in the same direction by the same amount; adjusting the vertical rolls toward the horizontal rolls to form actual vertical roll gaps.
 2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the additional nominal value is supplied before rolling the profiled section.
 3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the additional nominal value is supplied during rolling of the profiled section.
 4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of comparing the profiled section after rolling with a nominal profiled section and determining the additional nominal value based on the comparison of the profiled section after rolling with the nominal profiled section.
 5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising the step of providing a control unit, wherein the step of comparing and the step of determining are performed in the control unit.
 6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing hydraulic cylinder units configured to adjust the vertical rolls to the actual vertical roll gap.
 7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of vertically adjusting at least one of a component for the profiled section arranged upstream of the roll stand and a component for the profiled section arranged downstream of the roll stand based on the additional nominal value.
 8. A universal roll stand for rolling profiled sections, the universal roll stand comprising: horizontal rolls and vertical rolls having a vertical roll center; first control elements configured to adjust the horizontal rolls, based on a preset nominal horizontal roll gap, toward one another to form an actual horizontal roll gap, wherein the horizontal rolls are adjusted with the preset nominal horizontal roll gap symmetrically relative to the vertical roll centers; second control elements configured to adjust the vertical rolls toward the horizontal rolls to form actual vertical roll gaps; wherein the first control elements are hydraulic cylinder units and wherein the hydraulic cylinder units are configured to vertically adjust, based on an additional nominal value, the horizontal rolls in the same direction by the same amount.
 9. The universal roll stand according to claim 8 , further comprising a profiled section measuring device arranged downstream of the horizontal and vertical rolls and configured to measure the profiled section after rolling.
 10. The universal roll stand according to claim 9 , further comprising a control unit connected to the profiled section measuring device, wherein the control unit is configured to receive a nominal profiled section, and wherein the control unit is connected to the first control elements and configured to control the horizontal rolls.
 11. The universal roll stand according to claim 8 , wherein the second control elements are hydraulic cylinder units.
 12. The universal roll stand according to claim 8 , further comprising at least one of a component for the profiled section arranged upstream of the roll stand and a component for the profiled section arranged downstream of the roll stand, wherein the at least one component is configured to be vertically adjusted based on the additional nominal value. 